1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a titanium-base alloy characterized by a combination of good oxidation resistance and good cold formability, as well as a cold reduced foil product thereof and a method for producing the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There is a need for a titanium-base alloy having improved oxidation resistance at temperatures up to at least 1500.degree. F. and which may be cold-rolled to foil thicknesses by conventional practice. A product having these properties, particularly in the form of a foil, finds application in the production of metal matrix composites of the titanium-base alloy product such as those strengthened with ceramic fibers. Foil products of this type are particularly advantageous in materials used in the manufacture of aircraft intended to fly at supersonic speeds.
Since the alloy finds particular use in foil applications, it is necessary that it be amenable to conversion to foil gages using conventional equipment and procedures for the manufacture of continuous strip, such as hot and cold rolling equipment. This in turn requires a beta type alloy, which may be stable or metastable, because commercially available methods and equipment for producing continuous strip of other types of titanium-base alloys, such as alpha-beta and alpha types, are not commercially available. The oxidation resistant properties of the alloy are significant for supersonic aircraft manufacture, because the alloy is subjected to extremely high temperatures during supersonic flight. It is necessary that the alloy be resistant to oxidation under these temperature conditions.
At present, there is not an alloy that has a combination of oxidation resistance at elevated temperature with cold rollability sufficient to enable the production of foil by conventional methods.